WP - U.S. Deputy Kills Driver In Dispute, Police Say

[TheKingfish]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8240-2004Oct29.html

A witness at the scene offered a different account of the incident at the Rockville shopping center where some had gone shopping for Halloween.

Eugenia Hull of Silver Spring said she and her sons, ages 12 and 15, were walking through the parking lot of the center, in the 11800 block of Rockville Pike, when they came upon the men having a dispute.

She said that the off-duty deputy stood in front of the Camaro with his gun drawn and that he ordered the young man out of the car.

She said the deputy marshal shouted, "Get out of the car, or I'm going to shoot you again." He also said, "that's all the ID you're going to see," she added.

The deputy then threatened to shoot if the young man moved his car, Hull said.

"Then I watched the Camaro move around" the deputy, she said, and "I heard pop, pop, pop." She said the car jumped the sidewalk and crashed into the building.

[Sara Beverley]

1. The only ID required is a gun? WTF

I know many women who were not long ago frightened to be stopped by plain's clothes law enforcement. We were told to require adequate ID before following the orders of the alleged officer. We were also instructed to ask the officer to drive to the nearest police station instead of getting out of our cars if requested to do so. We are quickly becoming a Fascist state and law enforcement in many areas is part of the problem, not the solution.

[UpInArms]

2. I swear this country has gone insane

what is going on?

Yesterday stories where some nutjob threatens his ex-girlfriend (breaking up with him beforehand) with a screwdriver for voting for Kerry - some other nutjob pulls a gun on someone for shouting "Go Kerry" at some *Co supporters -

now some "Fed" law officer resolves a minor (?) incident by shooting his gun (what the hell is he carrying this around his family for anyway?) at a shopping mall.

Violence is what this mal-administration promotes. Divisiveness and animosity is created by all the lies - little and big - a lie being used when the truth will serve -

I cannot bear much more of this.

:(

[Romulus]

3. quick comments

Yesterday stories where some nutjob threatens his ex-girlfriend (breaking up with him beforehand) with a screwdriver for voting for Kerry

- Yeah, that guy was a nut


some other nutjob pulls a gun on someone for shouting "Go Kerry" at some *Co supporters

- in that case, the Kerry supporter got out of his car and started knocking the BuchCo signs out of the hands of the Bush supporters, at which point one of them may have pulled out a firearm

now some "Fed" law officer resolves a minor (?) incident by shooting his gun (what the hell is he carrying this around his family for anyway?) at a shopping mall.

- we don't know what happened when he shot the guy; I don't think this was a legit shoot because the Marshall Service guy should never have pulled over to "settle things." If he was being run over, then he could shoot, but the witness indicates that the gun was out before the Camaro guy tried to drive off, and the Marshall guy never showed any ID. If I was the Camaro guy and some wacko pulled a gun on me without showing a badge, I'd try to run him over myself.

Most Fed officers have to keep their duty weapon on them at all times because they're on call 24/7 and may have to run off if paged.

Edited to add:

The MoCo police are still trying to figure out what happened:
http://www.wtop.com/?sid=315241&nid=25

""An off-duty Deputy U.S. Marshall was driving his SUV on Rockville Pike and became involved in some sort of altercation with another motorist driving a red sports car," says Montgomery County Capt. John Fitzgerald. "The altercation became physical and there was some sort of fight between the two men."

The fight occurred after the traffic altercation when both drivers pulled into the parking lot of the Mid-Pike Plaza and got out of their cars shortly before 8:30 p.m. Thursday. The 20-year-old was driving a red Camaro. The marshal was in a Ford Excursion with his family.

"At least preliminarily, this physical altercation went to a new level when the car was driven in the direction of the marshal, but we are certainly not ready to make any conclusions yet. We want to hear from any witnesses," Fitzgerald said.

Police are still investigating whether the shooting was justified, and no charges have been filed so far."

[w4rma]

4. Clearly murder. Shot in the back. Refused to show ID. (nt)

[camero]

5. Nazi Brownshirts

That's all I have to say.

[Voltaire99]

6. Sounds like murder. (n/t)

Thank god there are witnesses.